1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article transfer device which transfers articles such as commodities, display products or the like in a suspended manner.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known an article transfer device which transfers articles such as commodities, display products or the like in a suspended manner. For example, there has been known a vending machine in which commodities are suspended from hanger rods each of which includes helical ridges or helical grooves which extend spirally or helically along an axis thereof, the hanger rods are rotated about axes thereof thus transferring the commodities while guiding the commodities using the helical ridges or the helical groove and allowing the falling and the takeout of the commodities. With respect to this type of vending machine, conventionally, in Japanese laid-open Patent Publication Hei10 (1998)-116386, for example, there has been disclosed a vending machine in which helical racks which sequentially shorten lengths thereof from above to below are arranged vertically and commodity holding lugs which hold thin commodities such as gift coupons on each helical rack are suspended and transferred.